Fielder knocks in winning run as Brewers top Pirates

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Prince Fielder rocketed a game-winning
single to left center in the ninth inning, sending the Milwaukee
Brewers to a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

Rickie Weeks drew a walk against reliever Tyler Yates (3-2)
leading off the ninth and J.J. Hardy - despite losing a 16-game
hitting streak in the process - sacrificed the runner to second
base. The Pirates then walked Ryan Braun to reach Fielder, who
singled on a 1-2 pitch to win the game.

Milwaukee improved to 19-8 in one-run games.

"I really didn't think about it too much, I just try to go up
and do my job," said Fielder, when asked if he was surprised the
Pirates elected to stay with the right-handed Yates with the
game on the line. "I didn't see (a lefthander) warming up, so I
figured they weren't going to bring anybody in. I don't really
think about stuff like that, so it didn't affect me either way."

Dave Bush, whose ERA entering the outing was nearly four runs
higher on the road than at home, again pitched beautifully at
Miller Park. He retired nine straight batters prior to allowing
the first Pittsburgh run, then retired the final 11 he faced
before departing for a pinch hitter.

Through eight innings, Bush allowed one run on four hits, with
no walks and seven strikeouts.

It was Bush's first home appearance since taking a no-hitter
into the eighth inning against Toronto on June 19 and marked the
fourth time in his last seven appearances that he had permitted
one run over seven innings or more.

"It was similar that I was throwing my fastball for strikes, and
I was able to use my offspeed pitches," Bush said, comparing
Saturday's outing to the flirtation with a no-hitter. "The
biggest thing was in the fifth inning, when they had a double
and then a double with nobody out. In my mind, that was the
toughest part of the game."

Adam LaRoche and Jose Bautista conspired on those back-to-back
doubles leading off the fifth to tie the score at 1-1, though
the Pirates could have had another after Bautista scampered to
third on a throwing error with nobody out.

Bush struck out pitcher Paul Maholm and got Jack Wilson to
ground out softly before Nate McLouth flew out to end the
threat.

"We had the one opportunity, but you have to give Bush a lot of
credit," Pirates manager John Russell said. "To see two guys
work the lower half of the zone like Maholm and Bush did, it was
a pitcher's duel. We would have liked to have gotten a run
there, but you have to give a lot of credit."

Just like his counterpart, Maholm retired the last 11 batters he
saw in order and did not allow a hit after the fourth in eight
dazzling innings of his own. It was the lefthander's fourth
straight quality start, during which he has a 2.57 ERA - a
sequence that has dropped his season mark from 4.55 to 4.05.

"I've figured (my preparation routine) out where it makes me
more comfortable going into games," Maholm said. "Pretty much
every side session, I'm not trying to overhaul my mechanics or
anything. It's pretty consistent. Consistency makes you
comfortable."

Maholm allowed one run on four hits with six strikeouts in his
eight frames.

Hardy, who brought his 16-game hitting streak into the contest
on the heels of consecutive four-hit outings, finished 0-for-3.
He became only the fourth player in franchise history to record
back-to-back games of four hits or more, and the first since Jim
Gantner accomplished the feat in 1983, but he was hitless one
day later.

"The guy has been on fire lately, but he's a team player," Weeks
said of Hardy. "In certain situations, you have to do something
like (sacrifice a runner over)."

Eric Gagne (2-2) worked his second scoreless inning since
returning from a stint on the disabled list and earned the
victory.

"Right now, I'm just trying to have fun on the mound," Gagne
said. "That's something I haven't experienced the last two
months on the mound. For me, it was just a matter of going out
and putting up a couple good outings in a row. I know what I can
do; I don't think it was a confidence problem. It was a matter
of going out and executing."